of detroit



H. SCHWARZE.

HYDROCARBON MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED [15022,1916.

Patented July 6, 192% fllllllllll T3 W 2 N W 8 w N z W M w w 6 5 M4# 3. 2 5 WI mw i w :L W

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HERMAN SCHWABZE,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CADILLAC MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

HYDROCARBUN-MOTOR masses.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Sonwanzn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Hydrocarbon-li/lotors, of which the following is a specification.

Une of the most difficult problems, arising in connection with the operation of high speed multicylinder internal combustion engines, has been to provide an ignition system which will adequately and eliiciently ignite the explosive charge at the proper in This problem will be appreciated when it is considered that an eight cylinder, four cycle motor, running at a speed of 3,000 revolutions per minute requires 200 sparks per second. -When it is appreciated that these sparks are, in many instances, produced from a single induction coil, one realizes the importance of the problem which the extraordinary time factor in volves, in properly energizing the induction coil, that is, it has been found very difhcult to energize and decnergize the induction coil in the brief period of time in which this must be done.

To overcome some of the difficulties associated with prior ignition systems, I have )rovided a timer sir-h as disclosed and cov ered in my application, Serial No. 62,493. The timer comprises two sets of contacts which may be arranged in parallel, both sets being adapted to open and close the primary circuit simultaneously and independently, each set carrying half the current, thereby reducing the sparking, which is caused by the breaking of contacts, to a minimum. V fith two sets of timer contacts, as described in my prior application, the arcing, which had been caused theretofore by a chattering of the contacts of other timers at high speeds, was reduced to a minimum. This may be explained as follows:

Assuming that the adjustment of two sets of contacts is not accurate, and as a result of faulty adjustment one set opens late, all arcing takes place on this set, causing the points to burn or waste away until this.

set opens in synchronism with the other set; therefore, they automatically tend to open and close in synchronisml My present timer is an improvement over my previous construction, above referred Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed December 22, 1916. Serial No. 138,304.

to. The present timer comprises a plurality of contact breakers arranged in parallel, and having a common mounting or pivot. In a preferred form, the contact breakers are arranged on a single pivotally mounted switch member. This, of course, permits a much easier adjustment than is the case where it is necessary to synchronize the action of contacts arranged on different members, or members swinging on differently located pivots. I am also enabled, by my improved construction, to obtain the same, or better, results with a minimum number of parts.

These, and other objects, will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred form of this invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view'illustrating the invention applied to an ignition system used with an internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with portions broken away, of a timer embodying a preferred form of this invention; and i Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, particularly Fig. 1, 10 1s a source of current supply, such as a battery; 11 represents a manually operated switch for closing the primary circuit, to an induction coil, which may comprise the usual primary winding 12, and secondary winding 13. 14: represents a resistance coll interposed between the induction coil and the timer 15, which will be more particularly hereinafter described, as provided with a plurality of sets of contacts, which are adapted to open and close the circuit to the ground connection 16, which forms a return to the source of current 10. It will be noted that the usual condenser 17 may be arranged to-bridge across the gap made by the contacts of the timer when the circuit is broken thereby. A distributor 18 of usual form,

be connected with the secondary winding 13 of the induction coil, as at 19.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, 20 represents a casing in which a shaft 21 may be suitably mounted in bearings 22 in a transverse plate 23, mounted on an inwardly extending shoulder or flange 24:. 26 indicates an insulating ring of suitable ma terial, such as fiber, on which may be mounted a pair of conductor rings 27 and 27. These conductor rings may be secured in position, as by the screws 28, the ring 27 being provided with an upwardly extending lug 29, which is adapted to be connected to the terminal 30, which is arranged in the insulating bushing 31, mounted in the casing 20. It will be noted that the terminal 30 is adapted to be secured in position by means of a shoulder 32 formed thereon, and

'a nut 33, which may be threaded on the member 30.

It will be noted that the induction coil 12,

l3 represented in the 'diagrammatic'view, is adapted to be connected, as at 34, to an arm 35, which is suitably mounted on the terminal 30, and insulated therefrom, and is provided with an inwardly extending lug 35, to which is electrically connected the resistance coil 14, the other end of which is connected to a housing cap 36, which is in electrical conection with the member 30, and

is held in proper position, as by the nut 37. It will be understood that the coil 14 is properly insulated by the spool 38.

The ring 27 is in electrical contact with the conductor plate 27, and is provided with a plurality of lugs 39, in which may be mounted a threaded contact 40, which may be locked in adjusted position, as by the nuts 41-.

An insulated stud 42, is suitably mounted in the rings 27 and 27, and the plate 23. A

switch member 43, is adapted to be pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the insulated stud 42. Spring means in the form of" a leaf spring member 44, may be arranged between the switch member .43 and the casing 20, for yieldingly closing the contact breakers, and connecting the switch with the ground plate 16. The switch is provided at its opposite ends, equidistant from the pivot point 42, with a pair of suitably secured contact points 45, adapted-to be intermittentlybrought into electrical conmay lead to the condenser 17, has an e'lectrical connection as at 51, with the termi nal 30,

From the above description, the operation of this invention will be understood as follows: I

Assuming the switch 11 to be closed, current will flow from the source of supply 10 through the primary winding 12, resistance coil 14 to the two lugs 39, and assuming the switches to be in closed position the current will be divided between the two contact breakers 40-45, passing through the switch member 43 and spring 44 to the grounded casing 20, and back to the battery 10. When the shaft 21 is revolved so that the abutment 48 rides on a ridge 47, the contacts 40 and 45 are broken, thereby building up a charge to be absorbed by thecondenser v 17, which will be discharged upon the making of the next contact, and thereby energizing the secondary winding 13, from which the current is conducted, to the various spark" plugs 52, by the distributer 18, which may be driven as desired from the shaft 21. Of course, it is understood that the spark plugs '52, may be grounded in the usual way.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, that there has been provided a timer comprising a pair of sets of contacts arranged in parallel, each of which is designed and constructed to carry the entire current flowing through the primary circuit; however, in normal operation, a portion ."of the current is adapted to flow through each of the sets of contacts arranged at opposite ends of the switch member 43, which has a common pivot point 42, and, of course, adapted to be operated in synchronism.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A timer comprising a single movable member having a plurality of contacts other contacts corresponding in number with said first mentioned contacts and with which said first mentioned contacts contact, and means for operating said member to thereby simultaneously separate the contacts which it has from said other contacts.

2. A timer, comprising a plurality of switches having a common pivotal mounting, and a common cam shaft for simultaneously operating the same.

' 3. In a single path circuit for ignition systems, a timer comprising a single movable member, a plurality of contact breakers v mounted thereon, said breakers being arranged in parallel and cooperating with other breakers to split the current in said circuit.

4. In an ignition system, means for making and breaking a circuit, said means comprising a single movable member having a plurality of contact breakers mounted thereon, and arranged in parallel and cooperating with other breakers to split the current in said circuit.

5. In an ignition system, means for making and breaking a circuit, said means compllSiIlg a single movable member, a plurality of contacts carried by said movable member and adapted to cooperate with a corresponding number of fixed contacts, and means for operating said member to thereby simultaneously separate the contacts which it carries from said fixed contacts.

6. In an electrical circuit, a combination with a timer therefor, comprising a switch member having a plurality of contact breakers arranged in parallel, means for positively actuating said switch member for co incidentally opening said breakers, and spring means for closing said breakers.

7. 11 an ignition system, means for making and breaking the circuit, said means comprising a plurality of contact breakers arranged in parallel and adapted to be operated substantially in synchronism, said contact breakers having a common pivotal mounting.

8. In an ignition system, means for making and breaking the circuit, said means comprising a plurality of contact breakers, adapted to be operated substantially in synchronism, said breakers having a common pivotal mounting, and being provided with spring actuated means for closing the circuit.

9. In an ignition system, means for making and breaking the circuit, said means comprising a single member having a plurality of contacts thereon arranged in parallel and adapted to cooperate with other contacts to thereby control a plurality of branch circuits, means for automatically adjusting said pairs of contacts; and means for operating said member.

10. In an ignition system, means for making and breaking a circuit, comprising an ignition single member having a pivotal mounting, and a plurality of contacts carried by said member, said contacts being so arranged that they are adapted to be operated simultaneously, to thereby" open and close branch circuits which they control substantially in synchronism, independently of their initial adjustment.

11. In an ignition system, a switch member having a pivotal mounting intermediate its ends, contact breakers arranged adjacent opposite ends of said member, and cam means for operating said contact breakers coincidentally.

12. In an ignition system, a switch member having a pivotal mounting intermediate its ends, contact breakers arranged adjacent opposite ends of said member and operating substantially in synchronism, and cam means for operating said member, said contact breakers being arranged in parallel.

13. In an ignition system, a switch member having a pivotal mounting intermediate its ends, contact breakers arranged adjacent opposite ends of said member, and cam means for operating said member, said contact breakers being adjustable and arranged in parallel to operate substantially in synchronism.

14. In an ignition system, a circuit comprising a source of current supply, an induction coil, means for making and breaking the circuit, said means comprising a .single member adapted to operate a plubranches arranged in parallel; a plurality of circuit making and breaking devices included one in each of said branches; a single operating member adapted to operate all of said circuit making and breaking devices simultaneously; and means for operating said operating member.

16. In an ignition system of the class described, a circuit having a plurality of branches arranged in parallel; means for simultaneeusly making and breaking the branch circuits provided. by the said branches; and a single operating member adapted to operate the said making and breaking means to thereby simultaneously accomplish the closing and. opening of the branch circuits aforesaid.

17. In a timer, a single switch member having a plurality of contact points adapted for simultaneous contact. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERMAN SCHWARZE. 

